Quote:
Originally Posted by Cochise
There are only a couple of states (like California, suprise) that register guns by serial. In all states you have to pass a background check, but it only records whether you are attempting to purchase a handgun or a long gun, and that information is supposedly destroyed after your request is accepted or denied.
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IIRC, None of that information is destroyed, and every time an FFL dealer goes out of business, the ATF keeps all of their 4473s. The law allows dealers to destroy 4473s over 20 years old, but even so, I believe dealers still keep this information in their books. When a dealer quits the business, the ATF keeps the books and all existing 4473s.
Maybe a licensed dealer will chime in as this is just my best understanding.
Either way, NSA probably has it all anyway.
. Instant background check is over the phone lines, so I am sure NSA has a complete database of every gun transfer in the last 20 years.